I've recently gotten very interested in having/caring for pet fish. I had a Betta for the past 13 months, it just died however. So now I'm thinking about looking into getting a saltwater tank, but I'm not sure how much maintenance they require. How difficult is it to keep a saltwater tank? What advice would you give?
The main thing I'm worried about is cleaning the tank. My betta tank seemed to acquire algae really fast and I would end up having to spend like 3-4 hours cleaning it every couple of weeks. How hard is it to keep a saltwater tank clean? Are there any types of saltwater fish or plants that help reduce algae buildup? Thanks for your help!
2007-04-02 05:49:20 · 6 answers · asked by Ryan S 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
First thing to remember, the two tanks are not the same. However, if you set up your tank properly in the begining, everything else is down hill.
Salt water is actually easier to care for than fresh. As far as maintenance it is about the same. Algae isn't the main problem with the salt water like it is in fresh. A good test kit is a must. Water changes are the same, scraping glass is the same, the difference is you don't remove your decorations or should I say rocks and shells to clean them. You won't spend 3-4 hours cleaning a salt tank.
And unlike the advice you were give, bigger isn't always better. You can start with a 30 gallon which is a workable tank. Once your salt water tank is mature, you will only have to clean it once every two months or so, depending on your water tests. Fish in salt water don't discharge waste like they do in fresh. there are no little turds to suck out of the tank. There are a lot of salt water fish that rely on algae as part of their diet. Tangs are a really good fish. Clowns, butterfly's there is an infinate number.
The best advice I can give you with a salt tank is PATIENCE with the set up. No matter what you use to start your tank, cycling is totally different. Salt eventhough a tank may be cycled, isn't mature. Mature means it holds more bacteria and elements to sustain higher forms of fish. For example a cycled tank cannot house a tang, sweetlip, trigger or puffer. It can house your lower end damsels though.
NO impulse buys. Know the fish you want and learn about what it needs and who it gets along with. If you see a fish, write down the name (Scientific name) and do your research. From food, tankmates, water conditions etc.
If you need help with set up feel free to email me.
2007-04-03 10:16:59 · answer #1 · answered by danielle Z 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A saltwater tank can be as easy to maintain aas a freshwater one once you get past the inital set-up. I have several of each and all require about the same amount of time for weekly maintenance.
The larger the tank, the better - start with at least a 30 gallon or larger - and don't overcrowd it. Saltwater fish are not very tolerant of poor water quality, and a large size give more stability for temperature and water chemistry.
Get a good aquarium book and READ. That's the single most important piece of advice you'll get. Research the types of fish that interest you, their adult sizes, the size tank they require, and how compatible they are with each other. You'll also get a good overview of options in filtration, lighting, substrates, temperature control, etc. so you can judge for yourself what best fits your tank needs and your budget.
There are animals that can help with tank maintenance - called "cleaning crews" by retailers - that include shrimp, hermit crabs, snails, seastars, and others. Some fish will graze algae as well. But don't depend on the cleaners to do all the work for you - you'll still need to clean undersirable algae, and do water changes of about 20-25% every week. If the tank is well planned, you aren't overfeeding, and you've got a good filtration system, this should only involve 1-2 hrs a week to maintain at most.
Two books I'd recommend to a beginning saltwater hobbyist are "The New Marine Aquarium" by Michael S. Paletta. Microcosm Ltd. ISBN 1-890087-52-1 and "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Robert M. Fenner. Microcosm Ltd. ISBN 1-890087-02-5
Either one would be an excellent resource, and will help you years into the future.
In the meantime, here are a few websites that can start you out:
http://www.apapets.com/MarineEcosystem/whatto.htm
http://www.fishlore.com/SaltwaterBeginners.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/index.htm
http://www.peteducation.com/index.cfm?cls=16
2007-04-02 08:52:58 · answer #2 · answered by copperhead 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
First off, you CAN do it. Its not as hard as people make it out to be if you can follow directions and are willing to do the legwork.
As a former aquarium salseman, I recommend that you buy as large a tank as you can afford to buy and fill. This will give you some room for error with your water balance because it will not change as rapidly.
I also recommend that you do not skimp on your equipment. For the most part you will get what you pay for. Get a good quality protein skimmer. I typically recommend Excalibur or EuroReef, but the EuroReefs are very expensive. Most folks can get away with an Excalibur.
Lots of live rock. If you are doing a reef, get 1.5-2 pounds per gallon.
10-15% WEEKLY water changes. This will cycle in new water and get out contaminants.
Lights on 8-10 hours a day. Get a timer so you wont forget, and it will be consistent. Lights need to be 3-5 watts per gallon. Same thing with your heater.
Several powerheads to move water.
A good sump with a purigen pack and a carbon filter in it.
Most of all, research anything that you are buying. The more you know, the better off you will be. Your local fish store will not know your tank, you know your tank. The more information you can provide the better.
One last thing. For the first couple months, test your water quality every week. After that, once a month. The test strips are pretty good for this. Also get into the habit of recording your water parameters, when you feed, when you do water changes, etc. This way when you take a water sample to your LFS to solve problems, you can give them more data to help solve the problem. The water samle is only a snapshot of what your water quality was when the sample was taken, and will degrade in quality because the sample is not preserved. Temperature differences will affect the readings.
Hope this helps.
2007-04-02 07:37:25 · answer #3 · answered by geohauss 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I've had a fresh water tank for about 3 years and never had a problem with algae (even when growing live aquatic plants) however, with my salt water, i went with live rock with inverts (no coral), and i still after 6 months can not get the algae under control (it's this purplish slime that has completely over taken my tank!) my local fish expert says that i have to leave my lights on less, but they're only running 4 hours now. not to mention salt water tanks require strict water changes to maintain levels and cost atleast 3-4 times more than a fresh water tank. so anyhow my point being, for me it's been hard but i don't want to discourage you. i love my salt water tank it's far more interesting than my fresh water tank, but it's also alot more work.
2007-04-02 05:57:08 · answer #4 · answered by wvequine 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
My mother had a salt water fish tank. Although it was amazing to look at (we were able to get some awesome fish) it was extremely difficult to take care of. You have to constantly worry about the pH balance, and every time you introduce a new fish you have to put it into "quarantine" because they are almost all caught in the wild. Also the fish are somewhat expensive to buy. Hope this helps!
2007-04-02 05:53:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
there are live fish that will help clean the tank but really, a saltwater tank is beautiful but certainly a commitment, yes, it is difficult to maintain, especially if something goes wrong like an inbalance in the water.
2007-04-02 05:53:00 · answer #6 · answered by syd p 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋